Cold-blooded club

Reptiles and amphibians, collectively known as herptiles or herps, may not win any popularity contests, but they are essential to a healthy ecosystem. A group of students from the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) founded the Delaware Herpetology Club to share their love of herps with the community. With more than 40% of amphibians worldwide threatened with extinction, along with 21% of reptiles, herps need all the help they can get.

"They're an underdog of the animal world," said Nat Moore, a junior wildlife ecology and conservation major serving as president of the club. "People don't see them as inherently charismatic like they do with mammals. But just because some people think they're gross or scary doesn't make them any less deserving of conservation."